Movable members have been employed in automotive vehicles in a variety of locations. For example, movable members can include sunroof panels that are movable from a closed to an open position, full width roof panels movable between extended and retracted positions, pliable roof covers or roof covers having pliable portions, and the like. To move these movable members between positions, various mechanisms and/or structures can be used. These various mechanisms and/or structures may be complicated and/or expensive. Thus, it would be advantageous if a mechanism and/or structure could be employed that is of a lower cost and/or a simplified construction. It would be further advantageous if such a mechanism were capable of allowing infinite adjustment of the position of the movable member between extreme positions. Moreover, it would be advantageous if the power requirements to drive the mechanism are reduced or diminished.
In accordance with the present invention, an automotive vehicle system includes a movable member and a belt-driven drive wheel that is operable to engage and disengage with the movable member and cause the movable member to move between positions. In another aspect of the present invention, a roof cover having a pliable portion is driven between extended and retracted positions by at least one wheel that is operable to engage with and selectively drive the roof cover. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a tensioning member is operable to bias a roof member into contact with a wheel which is operable to engage with and selectively drive the roof member between positions.
The present invention is advantageous in that it provides a simplified construction for a driving system to move a movable member between positions. The system allows the position of the movable member to be controlled and positioned in an infinite number of locations between extreme positions. Furthermore, the present invention has a low power demand to drive the roof member between the positions. The drive system of the present invention can be used on a variety of automotive vehicles, such as cars, trucks, boats and the like. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Moreover, further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.